When I'm Gone
by Dark Draconain
Summary: Truth is in the eye of the storm. [AxT'P]
1. Prolouge

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: I don't own the Enterprise characters, I make no money off this story. The poem at the beginning is part of the lyrics from the 3 Doors Down song "When I'm Gone". I don't own that either. ;)   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T)   
Author's Note: This story is about as close to a follow up to Attitude as I'm probably going to write since Attitude was only intended as a stand alone, so I hope you all enjoy this ^_^ 

****

**When I'm Gone**   
Prologue

~~~*~~~   
_So hold me when I'm here   
Right me when I'm wrong   
Hold me I'm scared   
And love me when I'm gone_   
~~~*~~~ 

The land was quiet and undisturbed. The sky was clear blue, and the air was cold. It was a desert world. From pole to pole, nothing but an exotic winter wonderland. A figurative snow globe. The shimmering white ground gleamed in the cold breeze, inviting yet lethal. 

The small spacecraft, Shuttle-Pod Two, set down in front of the vast capitol city of Azuume. As the three people exited the ship, a procession of tall, regal aliens approached them. 

"Captain Archer?" inquired the alien leading the procession. 

"Yes?" replied Captain Jonathan Archer as he ducked through the entrance hatch to the shuttle-pod. 

"I am Ser-le, the high Chancellor of Azuume. The Emperor has sent me to great you." 

"Ah. Thank you, Chancellor." Archer grinned and motioned towards the landing party, "This is my science officer, Sub-commander T'Pol; and my communications officer, Ensign Hoshi Sato." 

"A pleasure. Unfortunately, due to the rather unfriendly climate, we get very few visitors," responded Ser-le. He, like the other Azuumes, had slightly luminescent blue-hued skin, big eyes, and hair that looked like crystals. 

"But it's so beautiful…" commented Hoshi. 

The chancellor offered what looked like a smile. "Thank you. Come, we shall meet with the Emperor." 

Silently Archer and the other's followed Ser-le into the capital city. 

~ to be continued....~ 


	2. Mountains from Molehills

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter One: _Mountains from Molehills_

The capital city, Kryzal, was like a giant ice palace. The buildings were made of a translucent glass-like material that made the whole area seem surreal. The Azuure people were equally majestic, calm, and mysterious. They had invited Archer down to the surface several days earlier when _Enterprise_ had first made contact with the strange ice people. The Azuures had been polite and courteous the entire time Archer was meeting with Emperor. They had asked about Earth and life in space, and in return they had told about life on a glacial world. Apparently not many of them were interested in space travel, although certainly many had gone out to explore the stars before. 

Archer lay sprawled out on the couch—or at least what could be interpreted as a couch—reading a translation of a manuscript one of the Azuures had loaned him. He was alone in the apartment-type residence with T'Pol for the evening—Hoshi apparently found Azuure to be a very interesting language. The small apartment was done up in mostly shades of white, with a slight mixture of blues. It was decorated in a Spartan style, but was somehow still homely. There was a fireplace across from the living area, and the deep crimson flames played twitching shadows across the room. 

"Do you intend to lay there all night?" T'Pol asked stoically. 

"Maybe," he looked up at her perched on the edge of one of the table chairs. "Is that a problem?" 

"No." 

_And another awkward conversation down for the count. God, what is it with Vulcans?_ But it wasn't, he knew, Vulcans. It was _her_. His science officer, Sub-commander T'Pol. Why couldn't they just have a normal conversation? Why was everything so complicated with her? Did she even _care?_

"Is that the book Sen-te lent you?" she asked quietly. 

"Uh, yeah." He grinned weakly and walked over to where she was sitting. "Et tu, T'Pol?" 

She raised one of her slender eyebrows. 

"And you? What are you up to?" 

"I am studying a soil analysis of this planet." 

"Don't Vulcans ever take a vacation?" 

"It is not required," she replied coolly and turned back to her PADD. 

He shook his head and slowly meandered back towards the couch, then turned, "We're here for three more days. On one of them you're taking a vacation. And if I have to drag you into the mountains…" 

"You'd what?" she asked blankly. 

"Excuse me?" 

"You said, 'and if I have to drag you into the mountains'. What would you do?" 

"I…I'd…Oh, never mind!" he flopped down on the couch in defeat. Mountains out of molehills, Jonny-boy. Mountains outa molehills. _Why I even bother...._

~~~*~~~ 

It was dark outside, and the moons where glowing an eerie shade of ice blue. Everything on Azuure was so cold. The lighting, the temperature, the mood. And it was so quiet. Usually T'Pol would revel in the peaceful tranquility of such a calm place, but not right now. Her thoughts were far to…unsettling. She was uncomfortable being in such close proximity to Captain Archer. It wasn't so much the proximity; it was the relaxed air. The unprofessional, on vacation air. The captain wasn't acting as a captain should. He was acting like…himself. And it unnerved her. 

She walked over to where he was laying on the couch sleeping. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. And it struck her then how tense he always seemed, and how much younger he looked in his sleep…. She recalled the night before they had come across Azuure. Captain Archer had shown up outside her bedroom door. And somehow she had known he was there. 

She shook herself mentally and, not liking her current line of thought, retreated to hers and Hoshi's room to meditate. 

~ to be continued....~ 


	3. Hidden Truths

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter 2: _Hidden Truths_

The sun streamed into the apartment, creating cascading strips of light that flowed over the small room. T'Pol stood beside the couch nursing a few remaining drops of a tea-like substance, and watching Captain Archer sleep. Apparently he had spent the night on the couch. She had come to tell him she was leaving, but did not want to wake him. She stood in silence for a few more minuets sipping at her drink. Then she turned and left, putting her cup down on the counter and walking out the door of the apartment. 

~~~*~~~ 

Jonathan Archer slowly opened his eyes in time to see T'Pol walk out the front door. _Where is she going?_ He wondered absently as he groggily stalked over to the kitchen. 

"Good morning, Captain," greeted Hoshi in a chipper tone. 

"Hi. Uh, where'd T'Pol go?" 

"I think she went to go take some soil samples." 

"Oh." 

"Sir? Is something the matter?" 

"Hmm? Uh, no. Why?" 

"Oh, no reason," Hoshi smiled slightly. 

~~~*~~~ 

The air was crisp and cool, but there was tinge of electricity. The winds had picked up slightly, tossing the grounded snow around in mini-cyclones. Tse-la, an Azuure geologist, had offered to take T'Pol out into the mines to study the geology. The steps that had been hewn into the frozen rock were crude, and T'Pol almost slipped several times on the way down. 

"Are you alright?" asked Tse-la. 

"Yes. How much further is it?" 

"Mmm, the mines are pretty deep. I'd say about another hundred steps or so at least." 

"I see. What exactly do you mine here?" 

"A very rare mineral called Darklyte. Do you have it on your world?" 

"No," said T'Pol in her usual monotone. 

"Too bad, it's beautiful." 

They descended the rest of the way in silence. 

~~~*~~~ 

Archer looked outside the window at the ominous gray clouds that were gathering overhead. He turned to Sen-te, "Are you _sure_ those aren't storm clouds?" 

"About as sure as I can be. Don't worry. I'm sure your science officer will be fine." He grinned, "Besides, Tse-la knows what she's doing." 

Archer blushed. Was he that obvious? "It's my job to be concerned about my crew." 

Sen-te gave him a knowing smile. "Of course it is." 

Archer blushed again.

~ to be continued....~


	4. Turbulent Relationships

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter Three: _Turbulent Relationships_

The winds had picked up considerably, and icy sheets of snow had begun to whip the ground into a frenzy of little white flakes. 

"'I don't think it'll be a storm,' he says. 'Maybe just some cloud cover,' he says. Well I've got news, it's a goddamned full-fledged blizzard!" 

"Relax, Jonathan, she'll be fine," said Sen-te, trying to calm the frantic Starship Captain. 

"The hell she will!" he frothed. Archer suddenly stopped his manic pacing and strode dutifully for the door, grabbing a pair of goggles and a heavy jacket as he went. 

"Where are—you're not actually thinking of going looking for them are you?!" 

"Yes. I am. Is that a problem?" 

"Not unless you have a death wish! You'll never survive, let alone find them!" 

Archer didn't respond, he just continued on his way out the door. 

"Then I'm going with you!" shouted Sen-te to the indignant captain's back. 

Archer turned, "Why?" he asked quietly. 

"So you don't get yourself killed. C'mon, human." 

~~~*~~~ 

T'Pol sat down on the cold, hard ground next to Tse-la. "How long do these storms usually last?" 

"Oh, not too long. A few hours. We'll be fine down here." 

"Does this happen often?" 

"No," replied Tse-la, "not often. But this isn't the first time I've been caught in one." 

"I see." 

They had already been in the mine for several hours before they had realized there was a storm outside. The Darklyte crystals they had been examining were most intriguing indeed. Dark with streaks of an odd gold-like colour that flickered in different light. She wondered vaguely how Captain Archer was. Was he worried about her? 

"What's on your mind, T'Pol?" 

"Nothing. Why?" 

Tse-la fixed her with a crooked grin. "You were thinking awfully hard for nothing." 

T'Pol didn't respond. Instead she focused her gaze on the rock wall in front of her. 

"It's that captain of yours, isn't it?" 

T'Pol turned to face her, raising an eyebrow as she did. 

Tse-la smiled. "It's written all over your faces." 

"What is?" 

"You know," began Tse-la, "us Azuures are part psychic." 

"You were reading my thoughts?!" 

"Oh, no! No. I can't do that. Some of us can, but not me. But, I can see through that stony façade of yours." 

"Indeed." 

~ to be continued....~ 


	5. Missing in Action

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter Four: _Missing in Action_

_Why don't I ever listen to reason?_ The snow was whipping up into small cyclones all over the place, reducing visibility to zero, and thrashing the few area of exposed skin on Jonathan Archer's face until he bled. _Goddamn! We've been out here for almost an hour! Where the hell are they?_

"Hey, Sen-te, how much further to this mine?" Archer paused, "Sen-te?" He turned around looking for the tall Azuure, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Sen-te!" he yelled. But the sound just got lost in the wind. 

_Shit!_

~~~*~~~ 

"Archer! Archer!" 

_Where in Windom's name has that boy gone?_ Sen-te shrugged and continued looking. 

~~~*~~~ 

At long last the snow was reduced to light flakes, and the clouds began to clear. Tse-la stretched as she exited the mine. "Well now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" 

T'Pol didn't answer. Instead she said, "Is that someone you know?" 

Tse-la followed T'Pol's gaze out over the dull ice plane. "Sen-te?!" 

The lone figure hurried towards them. "Tse-la, T'Pol, are you two alright?" 

"Yes, we're fine," Tse-la cast him a quizzical glance, "what are you doing out here?" 

"I was looking for you." 

"What? Why? You know I can take of myself! And why are you here alone?" 

"I'm not…well, that is to say, I wasn't." 

"What happened?" 

"We were separated in the blizzard." 

"Was it Captain Archer?" asked T'Pol quietly. 

Sen-te cringed. "I'm afraid so." 

"Will he survive?" 

"Not for long." 

"Then what are we waiting for?" inquired Tse-la. "Let's go find him!" 

~ to be continued....~ 


	6. Without Emotion

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter Five: _Without Emotion_

Archer wondered around in a daze. He couldn't tell where he was, didn't know where he'd been, and didn't know how to get somewhere else. He was lost. Hopelessly, utterly lost. And he was exhausted and freezing to boot. And with each step he took, he was reminded painfully of why he was out there. 

Was T'Pol all right? Had she found shelter? Was she safe? Would she even care if she knew where he was? Did she even care about him? He liked to think she did. Sometimes it almost seemed like she did. Or was that just his imagination? He wondered what it would be like not to feel anything. Not to feel any emotions. But sometimes it seemed like she did. Sometimes he was sure she did. And sometimes…sometimes he wished he could see inside her mind. 

And other times he wished he could just sit down and have a normal conversation with her. But that seemed so impossible. So far off. And at this present time it didn't really matter. The chances of both of them making it off this forbidden ice-rock were slim to none. And the chances of him ever seeing her again were slowly sliding away. 

But he should be used to being alone by now. Used to always being the one who lost. After all, all the people he'd ever really loved had died. So why should she be any different? 

As he continued trudging miserably though the snow he came across a rock outcropping that could at the very least shield him from the wind. He only hopped that he would be the one who died, and not T'Pol. 

~~~*~~~

They proceeded on for nearly an hour before they happened across him. It was Tse-la who first spotted the huddled figure lying under a rocky outcropping. T'Pol approached the heap slowly, fearing the worst. Just as she got there she wondered which would be worse, finding Jonathan Archer dead, or not finding him at all. Taking a deep breath, she bent down and slowly turned the body to face her. 

It was Archer. What was visible of his face was covered in ice and frozen blood, but she was sure is was him. She slowly removed her glove, and pulled down the collar of his jacket. She proceeded to search for his pulse just as her superiors had taught her: without emotion. Or at least she tried. It was hard, and it pained her acknowledge why. Her feelings went against all her principals, against everything she had come to accept as right, and against her wishes. And she didn't understand why something that felt so unnatural could be so prevalent in her mind. 

She nearly sighed with relief when she felt a pulse under her cold fingers. It was a slight pulse, but at least he was alive. T'Pol turned to Tse-la and Sen-te, "We need to get him back to the capital." 


	7. Fire and Ice

**When I'm Gone**   
By: Dark Draconain   
Rated: PG - 13   
Feedbak: If you would be so kind ^_^   
Disclaimer: See Prologue   
Summery: Truth is in the eye of the storm. (A/T) 

**When I'm Gone**   
Chapter Six: _Fire and Ice_

He laid still, eyes closed, breathing evenly. The room was totally cream coloured, which made it seem warm, yet sterile. T'Pol sat on a chair by the bed, once again watching her captain sleep. Only this time Ensign Sato was there with her. 

"Why would he do such a foolish thing? He could have been killed." 

"Because he cares about you," answered Hoshi softly. 

"Captain Archer is impulsive. He could have gone out the for anyone." 

"Does it scare you?" 

"Does what scare me, Ensign?" 

"That he might care about you?" 

"How would that scare me?" 

Both women turned as Archer moaned softly and shifted under the sheets. 

"I'll leave you two alone," said Hoshi, smiling as silently left the room. 

Archer slowly opened his eyes, focusing them on the dull, white ceiling. 

"Captain?" asked T'Pol softly. 

He turned his head locking his intense green eyes with hers, "T'Pol?" he asked incredulously. "Your alive?" 

"I could say the same about you. What were you doing wondering around in the middle of a blizzard? You could easily have been killed," she said stoically, trying to mast the emotion in her voice. 

"Was that concern I heard Sub-commander?" Archer asked with a light grin. 

She paused, "Yes," she whispered. 

"What?" he frowned. "T'Pol?" 

"I should leave," she said as she moved around her chair. 

"Wait! T'Pol!" he tumbled out of bed and grabbed her arm. "Please." 

She turned and faced him, causing him to realize he was only wearing his boxers and some bandages. "Where are my clothes?" 

"They were wet," she said simply. 

"T'Pol?" 

"Yes?" 

"Will you stay with me?" 

"Yes." 


End file.
